Alleged burglar, wannabe pot farmer nabbed with the help of rural residents



BAIRD,TX — Watchful residents in rural Callahan County helped nip the plans of an aspiring marijuana farmer in the bud.


Callahan County Sheriff Terry Joy said property near Rowden, about 25 miles south of Baird, allegedly was being used by a self-professed methamphetamine addict who was setting up a small marijuana growing operation in a hunting camp.


The man — Nicholas Holmes, 23, of Clyde — was arrested last month in connection with a break-in at the camp and a nearby trailer. However, Joy said, there are no charges in connection with the potential pot farm since no marijuana seeds had been planted.


A watchful oil rig hand and vigilant neighbors helped track down and identify Holmes, who is being held in Shackelford County Jail in lieu of bail totaling $10,500. He’s charged with one count of criminal trespass and two counts of burglary of a habitation.
“It’s about neighbors helping neighbors,” Joy said. “That’s what got this case going.”
In early October a burglary was reported at a hunting lease on property owned by Jim Snyder, of Baird. A flat-screen TV, about 10 handheld radios, and frozen meat were stolen, Snyder said.
Joy said a report on the burglary was taken, but “we didn’t have a whole lot to go on.”


A few days later, an oil pumper working in the area gave a hitchhiker — later identified as Holmes — a ride. Holmes asked to use the pumper’s cellphone, and the pumper was able to learn Holmes’ name and later identify him to police.


In late October, Joy said more problems cropped up at the deer lease. Hunters who rented the lodge arrived to find it padlocked.



And it appeared as if someone had been living in the trailer next to the lodge “just like Goldilocks and the three bears,” Joy quipped.


Law enforcement personnel investigating the call cut the lock on the lodge door.


Joy said the first deputy inside hollered back to the others, “Boys, we’ve got something else in here!”


Inside, they found what Joy described as the beginnings of a small marijuana growing operation in the back of the building.
Soil had been placed in about two dozen red Solo cups, and a light had been hoisted above the cups, photos of the scene indicate. Marijuana seeds were not found in the soil, Joy said.
Officials, armed with the pumper’s information and tips from other residents who spotted Holmes in the area on game cameras, tracked Holmes down at his home in Clyde.


Upon his arrest, Joy said Holmes “fessed up” to the burglaries and the burgeoning pot farm at the camp. The sheriff said Holmes told him he had used methamphetamine since age 14 and was living in a “dream world.”


“(Holmes) apologized to Mr. Snyder about the camp and said he needed to go to jail to get off (methamphetamine),”


Joy said. “If he wants to get his life right, I’m for that. We want to help people.”

[floralheart]

People are starving. He's a person, in a bad place. Granted, I don't want him breaking into my home. He's a person that has been destroyed by all of this that surrounds us.

It's easy to judge him, but don't. There is a larger problem at play. The thing that's causing this. The thing that's been troubling you your whole life. You just can't quite put your finger on it.

[Stoner4Life]

I've walked in his shoes, a 9 year freebase habit had me committing some serious crimes. I got clean on my terms and only when I decided to do it, I hope he finds his sobriety in the joint.......

I can relate to his plight but he has no support system to bounce these whacky ideas off of before he does them. On a brighter note, the meth gang that was distributing that shit in 12 counties including where he lives got busted a week or so ago for distribution of 100s of pounds. 36 people got a DEA visit so maybe his source will dry up - but I doubt it. They bust meth people all the time and it doesn't even slow down. I suspect the cops are using ex-cons that can cook to work these deals. Many cops and other legal system employees have gotten tagged for distributing it also over the years. It is a problem here and even with the number of meth labs going down, availability is up and the cartels are running it through Texas like a mutherfucker...